The Opposite of Chemistry
by Baxley McTedders
Summary: AU. Gail and Holly meet and don't exactly hit it off immediately. That's the kind of thing that happens when Gail's panties land on Holly's moss.
1. Chapter 1

Gail Peck was pissed off. It's not like that particular fact was surprising, nor was it a foreign emotion to her. Seriously, though, she had _almost_ had him.

Officer Peck had chased the masked burglar after getting the report that he was in her area. Okay, so maybe Oliver had done all the driving. Whatever. But, when they spied him ducking into the woods, it was Gail who took off on the foot pursuit. She maneuvered and ducked and pivoted around the trees. She had hopped over a couple branches like a Heisman winner. She could have reached out and gotten a hold of the black hood that had fallen off his head. She was inches from the takedown.

Then she got taken down herself by a thin piece of rope that had marked off some fucking moss field by some sassy ass forest ranger.

What the hell that even mean?

"It's pretty self-explanatory," came the answer.

"Did I say that out loud?" Gail asked.

"Obviously," the woman barked. "And for the third time, I'm not a forest ranger."

Gail tried really hard to ignore all the feelings of anger that were bubbling throughout her body. She was doing a damn good job, but the woman was still there.

Some random woman who kept on talking about mosses and ecosystems and how Gail was muddying up her work area. She even tried to move the evidence as Gail called for back up. The officer had nearly had to restrain her. She'd been asked to leave a dozen times, but no. There she remained. Just hanging out among the parade of cops like she wasn't in the way.

"You're still in the middle of my crime scene," Gail pointed out. She literally pointed, too. She was deliberately being as accusatory as possible. Carrying a gun has its advantages. One of them is being bossy as hell.

The woman was having none of it, though. She tucked a dark strand of hair behind her ear and adjusted her glasses. "Your crime scene is in my field."

"Your field?" Gail looked around at the trees that surrounded them. "It's the woods, lady. It's hardly yours."

"Can you just, I don't know, hurry this along?"

"It's a crime scene," Gail said slowly. "We need to investigate. There's important evidence related to a series of crimes throughout the city."

"I saw your evidence," the lady stated, not at all impressed. "It's a bag of women's underwear."

"Yes," Gail nodded. "Discarded by the most prolific panty snatcher the city's ever seen."

"Well, your panty bag is crushing my tetraphis."

"Uh, that sounds pretty serious," Gail narrowed her eyes. "But, not as serious as criminal behavior."

"That's debatable."

"No, it's really not," Gail argued. "Your grass is not as important as my panties. So just settle down before I have you arrested for-"

"For what exactly?" she asked sarcastically. This woman was just begging for it. "Illegal forestry?"

"Obstruction of justice," Gail threw out. "Tampering with evidence, hindering a criminal investigation. Assaulting an officer."

"I did not assault you."

"You tripped me!"

"You tripped yourself!"

Oliver Shaw, Gail's partner and mentor, caught the outburst. "Do we have a problem here, Peck?"

It was a question addressed to her, but obviously in regard to the other woman. Gail was always amazed at all forthright Oliver could be when he was on the case. Officer Shaw was kind of goofy, but he was a great cop. When he commanded attention, it was immediate.

"No, sir," the woman said to him. "I've got no problem. Just waiting on your squad to finish up."

"Did Officer Peck, here, ask you a few questions?"

"Yes," Holly said. "I didn't see the masked man. I did, however, see Officer Peck here fall into my field with her face."

Gail did another swipe at her forehead where she had previously had a healthy amount of mud.

"What's your name again, ma'am?"

"Holly Stewart," she said. She stuck out her hand, which Oliver shook after a second.

"Okay, Holly Stewart. If we're all done with your interview, maybe you should wait elsewhere," Oliver suggested.

"If it's alright, I would like to keep an eye on my tetraphis."

Oliver looked confused by whatever the woman had just said. He was about to ask her to explain just what exactly she was keeping on eye on when Gail interrupted the thought.

"It's some horticulture thing," she offered. "Don't worry, I'll watch her."

As soon as Officer Shaw had moved along, Holly pinned Gail with a glare. "I'm a botanist."

Gail shrugged, "Okay, good for you."

"I'm a botanist," Holly repeated. "Not a horticulturalist. That's garden plants. We're not growing cucumbers, here. I'm not farming for squash. I'm a botanist. You know, plant science. The biology of plants. More to the point, plant reproductive systems. Right now, I'm studying the sexual reproduction of indigenous mosses and their dependence on the water supply. It's important work for the survival of the species. So, no, it's not grass. And I'm not doing some horticulture thing."

Gail stared at Holly's lips, trying to will them to stop. "Why are you saying all these words?"

Holly didn't respond. Whether it was the forcefulness of Gail's attitude or the fact that another cop was strolling up was lost on her.

"Who's this?" Chris asked with a jut of chin.

"Some herbalist," Gail answered.

Chris immediately reached for his cuffs, "Should we take her in?"

"Whoa!" Holly held up her hands. "Botanist!"

"Botanist," Gail clarified. She made a motion for Chris to stand down.

Chris looked at Gail sheepishly, "Does that have something to do with chemistry?"

"No," Gail said. "It's the opposite of chemistry. She's concerned about the grass under our panties."

"What?" he looked between the two women. He glanced down Gail's body quickly, "That's a little…uh…"

"No, jackass," Gail slugged his arm. "The plant underneath our evidence."

Chris craned his neck to see what exactly she was talking about. "Why?"

"It's tetraphis," Holly said completely annoyed by now. "Tetraphis pellucida?" When both of them continued to look at her with blank expressions, she explained further. "Four-tooth." Still nothing. "It's moss. Moss!"

"Like that shit that grows up my neighbor's trellis?" Chris asked.

"Not exactly the same, but sure." Holly rolled her eyes. "And biology is not exactly the opposite of chemistry."

"Don't care," Gail brushed that aside. "Can't you just find another patch of moss?"

"Oh, yeah, sure," Holly placed her hands on her hips. "It's just that I've been studying that particular plant and it's habitat for months now. But, yeah. I'll just move on along because a masked pervert happened to run this way and throw his stolen panties on my work."

"That would be great," Gail winked. "Thanks."

Gail was kind of relishing what kind of response she'd get. She was somehow enjoying this back and forth. No matter how crazy this woman was about plants, she sure was entertaining. She was looking forward to more verbal sparring, when Holly's attention was stolen away by an yet another approaching officer.

"What's the latest?" McNally asked when she arrived next to the little group.

"We've got units all over the place," Chris updated her. "Nobody's been able to locate the suspect."

"We've got the bag of stolen items, though," Gail said, trying to brush off the embarrassment of being so close to getting the bad guy. "He was wearing gloves, but we're hoping to find something."

McNally nodded along with the information before turning her attention to the civilian standing alongside her co-workers. "And you are?"

"Holly Stewart," the woman answered. She pointed to the area. It was still roped off by not only her rope, but also police tape. "That's my moss field."

"You work out here?"

"I'm doing a field study," Holly answered. "Indigenous mosses."

"That sounds interesting," McNally smiled at her.

Gail was suspicious because that most definitely was not interesting. She knew Andy McNally well. They had worked together for a couple years now. They had lived together for most of that time as well. McNally was not interested in moss. Nope, McNally was interested in the botanist. And for some unknown reason, it bothered the hell out of her.

It was probably because every time Andy McNally dated anybody, she'd be into it for just enough to sleep with the poor girl. Then, she'd roll out the next morning and leave Gail with frantic instructions to kick her latest conquest out of the shared apartment. It was downright filthy.

"Since when are you interested in moss science?" Gail asked McNally.

Andy shot her a look, "I'm expanding my horizons."

"Good for you," Oliver had arrived and caught just the last part of the conversation. He slapped McNally on the back. "Learn and grow, Rookie. Learn and grow." He motioned toward Gail, "Peck, we've got a lead. We're moving out."

Gail was stuck with momentarily hesitation. "Now?"

"Now," Oliver said sharply.

Gail had no idea why her feet were glued to the ground. Maybe it was the fact that she had been the first on scene, or she'd appointed herself the keeper of the evidence, or that she was charged with handling this witness. And now, the witness was probably in more danger because McNally had her girl-next-door smile out and her charm was slapping everyone in the face like wet hair. It's gross, but definitely leaves a mark.

"Peck!" Oliver was pretty forceful this time. "Now, c'mon."

"Let's go," Gail snapped out of the haze and went back to work.

!

"I absolutely think you should see her again," Gail told Oliver as they were riding along in their cruiser a couple weeks later. "You actually seem happy. It's a nice break from the last few months."

"I like her."

"Then call her," Gail encouraged.

"I…you think?"

"Yes!"

"Really?" Oliver asked insecurely. "I mean…she's really great-"

"Call her. Invite her the wedding."

"-but a little kooky."

"So are you," Gail said.

Oliver laughed, "True."

"What's her name again?"

"Celery," Oliver replied. He slowly applied the brake and stopped at a stop sign. He chanced a glance to see Gail laughing. "What?"

"Were her parents hippies?"

"No," Oliver said. "She named herself Celery as a symbol of her holistic and organic way of being."

"Oh," Gail took that in. "Okay."

"What about you?"

"What _about_ me?"

"Is it inappropriate for me to ask about your personal life?" Oliver inquired.

"Has the inappropriateness ever stopped you from prying before?"

"I just think-"

"No," Gail stopped him cold. "We're not talking about me today."

"It's been a while since-"

"Nope."

"You need to-"

"Absolutely not."

"You're so stubborn, Peck. I'm just trying to help."

"Don't need your help," Gail said as lightly as she could. "Thanks, though."

Oliver sighed. It was his fatherly sigh. The sigh that meant she should really, _really_ listen to him. She'd heard it before many times. Truthfully, she knew he was right.

"You should talk it out with somebody," he snuck in.

"I have," Gail responded.

She really had. She had talked and talked until she was all talked out on that particular subject. She'd gotten over the trauma, but trusting was an issue. It had been before anyway, now it was practically impossible to get close to anyone.

"I don't want you to spend your life being distant," Oliver said.

"Alright, Dad," she said with a roll of eyes. "That's enough."

The static of the radio saved her from having to continue the conversation.

"We're a couple blocks away," Oliver told her. "Flip the siren."

A few minutes later, they had arrived on scene. To her complete surprise, it looked like the botanist from a couple of weeks ago was again involved in some kind of crime. At least that looked to be the case as McNally talked to her semi-casually on the sidewalk. At least Andy had the decency to have her notebook out.

"You've got to be kidding me?" Holly said as she saw Gail approach.

"Well, if it isn't Botanical Gardens." Gail smirked at the woman. "Interfering with another investigation?"

"She is fully cooperating," McNally informed her somewhat seriously.

"I'm sure she is," Gail shot back at her colleague.

"I was witness to a mugging, thank you very much."

"Batting a thousand," Gail commented.

"I'm really loving this new talent to attract scumbags," Holly remarked.

Gail instinctively looked at McNally, "Oh, yeah. You're doing a bang-up job of that."

Holly caught the look and furrowed her eyebrows. "Full of compliments, aren't you?"

"You got a pretty good description," McNally told Holly. "You could be a cop."

Gail guffawed at the thinly veiled flirting. The looks she got from the gathered crowd make her back away slowly. She rejoined Oliver while he was getting the lowdown from another officer. She tried to listen, but her eyes somehow kept getting drawn back to Holly. There was something really annoying about the way McNally was talking to her. She was touching Holly's forearm and talking in her "understanding" voice.

Finally, she had an urge to stop it. "McNally!" Gail yelled.

Andy immediately looked up with a questioning gaze. "Yeah?"

Gail had actually surprised herself and cleared her throat before saying, "I need you to have a look at this." Gail hooked her thumb over her shoulder.

"What?"

"Something, over here," Gail said. She kept pointing to nothing, but this time with a bit more urgency. "Over here, McNally."

Andy walked over slowly, trying to pinpoint exactly what it was that she was being asked to check out.

"So, what to you think that is?" Gail asked. She was pointing to the sidewalk, well aware that there was absolutely nothing of importance there.

McNally looked at the ground, then up to Peck, then back down. "Concrete?"

"Well, no shit, McNally," Gail remarked. She then circled her finger, indicating a fairly wide space. "There!"

"Oh," McNally leaned down. She crouched down and looked back up to Gail, "It looks like a Starburst wrapper."

"Cherry?"

"Nah, fruit punch."

"We should bag it," Gail said.

"Bag it?" McNally stood to her full height. "What the hell for, Peck?"

"DNA."

"From a toddler?" Andy asked. "It's a Starburst wrapper. What's your deal?"

"Just being thorough," Gail said. "And professional."

Gail watched as Andy walked away, stopping briefly and exchanging a few chuckles with Holly before moving on to other witnesses.

She followed, "You okay?"

Holly looked stunned by the cop's concern. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"These things tend to shake you up."

"I guess," Holly shrugged. "Wasn't actually me, though. You should probably check on the lady that actually got her stuff stolen."

"I will," Gail said. She quickly fished one of her cards out of her vest pocket and held it out. "Here. This has all my contact info."

Holly glanced it at quickly before waving her hand. "That's okay," she said without too much concern.

"Just in case, you remember anything else." Gail pushed the card closer to her.

"I think I told Officer McNally everything," Holly said, still refusing. "Nothing more to remember."

"Might be something."

"Probably won't," Holly stated with assurance.

"Just take my damn card," Gail shouted.

"Fine, okay." Holly finally accepted it. She made a point of looking at it and her eyes returned to the officer. "Gail?"

"Yeah."

"I wouldn't have pegged you for a Gail."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," Holly dismissed the question. She caught Gail's eyes and stayed there for a moment, a longer moment than necessary. "Hm."

"It's a family name," Gail said. Which was more information that was actually needed. Holly Stewart didn't need to know that.

"A family of traditionalists?" Holly surmised. "Interesting."

"You have no idea."

Holly took a small step forward, propelled by something. She had no idea what exactly. "Did you catch the panty snatcher?"

"Not yet," Gail said through her teeth. The memory of being so close stung. "Have a few leads, but nothing that's panned out."

"That's too bad."

"Yeah." Gail looked around. She felt a sudden wave of nerves and shook them off. "How's your moss?"

"Beautiful," Holly said. There was a hint of a smile on her face. "Fully recovered by having been nearly trampled to death."

"I'm sorry," Gail apologized. Then she wondered why the hell she had. "It wasn't like I intentionally fell on your plant. I was _working_."

"Of course," Holly bit her laugh to keep from laughing at the lasting image of Gail Peck falling head first into the ground. "You're forgiven."

"I appreciate that."

They continued to look at each other in the eye. It was unnerving, but strangely okay. Gail normally had no patience for this kind of thing, but Holly Stewart obviously had some effect on her.

The trance was broken a few seconds later.

"You're still here?" McNally asked Holly as she appeared again. "You don't have to stick around any longer."

Gail nearly elbowed her fellow officer in the gut for that.

"Oh, okay." Holly was probably talking to Andy, but she was still looking at Gail. She opened her mouth to say something else, but quickly shut it. She shook her head and walked away backward. "Thanks again, Officers."

They both watched her walk away.

"She's hot," McNally said as soon as she was out of earshot.

"Don't," Gail warned.

"Don't what?"

Gail glared at her, "Just don't."


	2. Chapter 2

Incessant knocking at 8 am was unacceptable. It's even more so on Gail's day off. When she was out until three drinking, though, it's a fucking hate crime.

"Stop it!" she yelled at whoever was there as she stomped through her apartment angrily.

"Hello?"

It was a familiar voice, but Gail couldn't pinpoint whom it belonged to. When she got to the door, she peered through the peephole. "Shit," she muttered. "Fucking McNally."

She didn't know why Holly Stewart was there, but it seemed like it was probably McNally's fault.

"Hello?" floated through again. "I can hear you."

"Yeah," Gail said as she flung open the door. "I can hear you, too."

"Officer Peck?"

"In the flesh," Gail said and presented herself grandly. "Why the hell are you knocking on my door so early in the morning?"

"It's eight," Holly said. She checked her watch just to make sure. "Not really that early."

"Early enough," Gail complained. "So…are you here to see Andy?"

"Officer McNally?" Holly asked. "Yes."

Gail crossed her arms over her chest. "She had an early shift."

"Oh," Holly seemed disappointed. "I guess I got the day wrong."

"You probably didn't," Gail told her. "She's kind of a flake sometimes."

"I didn't know you two were an item," Holly said with a hint of perceived sadness.

"Fuck. No," Gail said without any room for misinterpretation. "McNally and I are roommates, that's it. We're not even friends."

"Oh…" Holly shifted on her feet.

"Are you and McNally...?" Gail was very interested in why Holly was standing at her door.

"No, no, no," Holly shook her head more than she needed to deny it. "Not at all, no."

"Then why are you here? Usually a girl who wants to see Andy this early is on the other side of the door."

"Huh?"

"And typically her bra is hanging off my cabinet," Gail recounted. "That's happened more times than you'd think."

"My bra is securely on my body," Holly said. "I promise."

Gail accidentally glanced down. She immediately mentally kicked herself for checking Holly out and returned her gaze upward, but Holly definitely noticed. So eventually, Gail just gave her an awkward thumbs up. "Let's keep it that way."

"Officer McNally said she wanted to donate some things to my peewee hockey team," Holly said as innocently as the day was long.

"Your peewee hockey team?"

"Yeah," Holly said. "I coach a 6 to 8 year old girls' peewee hockey team for the city's youth program. I told Officer McNally about having some funding issues and she said she had some things she wanted to donate to the cause."

"Are you some kind of saint or something?" Gail asked, leaning against the doorframe. "Because I'm annoyed that you're saving the world one plant _and kid_ at a time."

Holly completely ignored everything Gail said, "So she's not here?"

"No," Gail repeated. "And, Holly, I hate to tell you this, but McNally doesn't have anything to donate. She certainly doesn't have any hockey equipment sitting around the place. And she's broke…because we're cops. So…she probably just wanted to get into your pants or something."

Holly stared blankly, "Well, you're certainly a joy to be around in the morning."

"You're not the first person to say that."

"I can't imagine that I am," Holly said as she turned to leave.

Gail couldn't help herself from shouting down the corridor, "I'm a blast in the afternoon, too."

!

Since she was up, and since it was basically McNally's fault, she decided to go down to the station and give that bitch an earful. When she got there, McNally was gone on a donut run, so she waited.

She waited and stewed.

She stewed so hard that she completely missed Frank coming up behind her, "Peck!"

She was startled and jumped out of Andy's seat, "Yeah? Chief. Yes, sir?"

"What are you doing here?" he asked. "It's your day off, go."

"I'm not working," she said. "I'm waiting on McNally."

"Don't you live with McNally?"

"Yeah," she said with caution.

"Then socialize at home."

"Okay," Gail huffed. She was about to do just that when she noticed the file in Frank's hand. "Hey, any progress on that?"

Frank held up the folder in question, "He hit another woman's house last night."

"Shit."

"Yeah," he agreed. "This guy is stealing several hundred dollars worth of property and given the sensitive nature of the items, I don't have to tell you we're a little more than concerned about an escalation."

"Lingerie," Gail tried a joke. It didn't go over well. Not with Frank, at least.

McNally thought it was hilarious.

She had returned with a box of donuts for the whole division. She did that silent laugh thing until Frank turned around. "Donut, sir?" she offered one to the Chief without an ounce of mirth.

He took it, but turned to Gail and pointed to her with it. "Go home."

"Yes, sir. On my way," she promised.

They both watched him disappear into his office before Andy asked, "What are doing here? You were so drunk last night, I figured you sleep all day."

"I would have," Gail said. "But your friend, Holly, was knocking on our door at eight."

"Holly?" Andy seemed confused as she reached into the donut box. "Holly who?"

Gail grabbed the chocolate delight Andy had chosen and took a giant bite. "You suck," she said with her mouth full.

"Why do I suck?" McNally asked. "She's the one knocking on our door."

"You told her you'd donate to her peewee hockey team!"

"Oh…oh!" McNally bit into her donut. "I forgot. Whoops."

"Well, what are you going to do about it?"

"I dunno," Andy shrugged. She took another bite of her donut and settled in her chair. "I have paperwork to finish."

Just as Gail had suspected, McNally had nothing to donate. Which had led her to making a phone call and visiting a sporting goods store downtown. Afterwards, she made a trip to the university and found herself in front of a door that was labeled with Holly Stewart.

She knocked and secretly hoped it was as annoying as Holly's knock this morning.

"Come in," she heard.

Gail opened the door just enough to lean her head in. She found Holly pouring over what looked to be graphs on her desk.

"Yeah?" she asked without ever looking up.

"You look busy."

The voice made Holly's head snap up. "Officer Peck."

"Hi," Gail said. She pointed to Holly's desk. "You look busy, I can come back."

"No!" Holly didn't mean to shout. "No, it's fine. How can I help you?"

"Uh…" Gail wasn't used to this. "I was hoping to help you actually."

"Oh?" Holly set her pen down. "How's that?"

"McNally is a total fuckbag," Gail said. "She either totally forgot about your team or has mental issues, probably both."

"That's okay," Holly shrugged.

"No, it's not," Gail was more pissed than Holly was for some reason. "It's not cool. She shouldn't have done that."

"Well, what can I do?"

"It's not what you could do," Gail said. "It's what I could do."

Holly's eyes narrowed in confusion, "Huh?"

"I got you new equipment," Gail said quickly. "But I don't know where to take it."

"What?"

"You needed funding," Gail explained. "So I found out what you needed and I funded it."

"What?" Holly asked again, not sure she understood what exactly Gail had done.

Gail still just stood in the doorway like no big deal. "I tricked out your tiny hockey team."

"How? Why?"

"Because it was the right thing to do," Gail said. "And I so rarely do the right thing…"

"Somehow, I don't believe that," Holly said.

Gail wasn't sure what that was in reference to, so she skipped it. "I need to know where the stuff goes. Hockey equipment is big and my car is small."

Holly stared at her for a moment. "You didn't have to do that."

Gail looked all the office because Holly was burning a hole through her. "It's a good cause. And I had some money lying around."

"Money lying around," Holly repeated that because she certainly didn't. "You said you were cop broke this morning."

"Are you going to get all up in my business?" Gail's eyes snapped to Holly's.

"No," Holly said. She picked up her pen and wrote down an address. She then sauntered around her desk and offered it to Gail. "Meet me there tonight at six. Can you do that?"

"Sure." Gail tried to take it, but Holly kept a hold on it.

"It's practice. You can meet the kids you're helping."

Gail tried not to smile, "I'd like that." She tried to take the paper again, but Holly still held on. "Are you going to let me have it?"

"How did you find me?"

"I'm a cop."

Holly accepted that answer. "You're a strange person."

"I've been called worse," Gail said. She pulled on the paper one last time. "Are you going to give me this or are we going to do a tug of war type scenario?"

Holly relented before reminding her, "Six."

"Sure thing, Coach."

!

Gail arrived at the skating rink at promptly 5:45 with hockey gear in tow. Holly and a few of the kids helped her lug it all in. The kids, of course, asked a million questions about her and what she did. Holly, for the most part, was silent. She watched Gail. Gail knew the look, too. It was suspicion.

Practice was fun. It was mostly a bunch of girls skating around and falling down. One of them was obviously meant to be a figure skater as she attempted multiple triple axles while the other kids shot on goal.

It wasn't long before Holly had blown her whistle and sent them on skate laps around the rink.

Gail, who had borrowed some extra skates and had taken part in some of the practice, was now sitting on the wall watching Holly. She shimmeyed down and skated to center ice.

"This was fun."

"It is fun," Holly said as she watched the little ones skate slowly around. "I appreciate what you did today."

"It's no problem," Gail said. "It was just trust fund money."

Holly laughed until she looked back at Gail and realized the woman was serious. "What?"

"Yeah…" Gail looked a little disgusted by it. "My family is sort of…well, infamous, I guess."

Holly tried to place her.

"In the States," Gail clarified. "The Pecks? Political Pecks?"

Something about it rang a bell, but Holly just continued to look at her.

"My mom is Elaine Peck. The U.S. Attorney General."

Holly blew her whistle while still staring at the woman in front of her. She skated away and gathered all the kids for a huddle as Gail watched from afar until the little ones all filed away to the locker room.

"Short practice," Gail commented as she skated back to the bench.

"I let them out early," Holly said as she skated up to the wall. "They've got an assignment, though. Big game on tonight."

Gail laughed, "Are you going to quiz them on it?"

"Maybe," Holly thought about it. "Nah, only if we don't win."

"I wouldn't bet on it."

"We'll pull it off," Holly said, always confident in her team.

Gail chuckled, "You think so?"

"Yep."

"The Leafs defense is too damn slow to stop us."

Holly looked as if she'd been slapped in the face, "Red Wings fan?"

"Let's go Wings," Gail said with a huge smile.

"Just when I started to think you weren't evil."

"Hey c'mon. I grew up in the affluent suburbs of Detroit," Gail said. "And yes, they do exist."

"Born and raised in South Detroit?" Holly sung the line.

Gail just stared at her before deadpanning, "I took the midnight train going anywhere."

"Wait!" Holly skated around the wall and plopped down on the bench. "I don't get it. If you're American, then how are you a Canadian cop?"

"I was actually born in Canada, I have dual citizenship," Gail said as if that was no big deal.

Holly eyed her disbelievingly. "Sure, okay."

"I'm serious."

"Okay."

Gail still didn't get the sense that Holly believed her, so she went into the full explanation.

"I'm not lying. My parents were on an ice-fishing trip on Lake St. Clair-"

Holly, who was bent over unlacing her skates, shot back up, "Your mom was ice-fishing when she was nine months pregnant?"

"I was born a few weeks early."

"Your mom was ice-fishing when she was eight months pregnant?"

"She's a cold woman," Gail answered.

"Hm."

"Practically a reptile," Gail said. She watched Holly shrug out of the heavy sweater she'd been wearing on the ice. It left a thin t-shirt underneath. "…Anyway, my mother was running for a congressional seat at the time-"

Holly chuckled while folding her sweater, "And pregnant? And ice fishing?"

"It's clear that you don't know her," Gail said at the interruption. "If you meet her, you'll totally understand this story."

"If I meet your mother?" Holly laughed. "I'm almost positive there will never be an occasion in which I'm meeting the U.S. Attorney General."

"You never know," Gail said, because really no one ever knows. "Back to my story, so Elaine was running for Congress and there was this really important ice fishing tournament on the lake."

"Okay."

"All the big players are going to be around, so she figures she'll swoop in and take part. Even though she's not an ice fisherman, or…well, anything other than a politician."

"That's…"

"Stupid, yes," Gail said. "I agree. So, here's my mother, preggo, pulling my dad along on this ice fishing expedition. She gets so into the competition that she ignores the fact that she's obviously gone into labor. By the time she tells anybody, I'm already well on the way. So, he has to make an emergency call for help and due to some weather and an ill-timed fuel stop, a Canadian helicopter arrives and evacuates them to Windsor. I was actually born while hovering over the helipad in Canadian airspace."

"That's one of the most ridiculous stories I've ever heard."

Gail was just a little offended, "What? Not enough plants in it for you, Holly?"

"Honestly, no."

"It's the story of my birth," Gail lightly slapped the other woman's thigh. "C'mon, it's a great story. An international incident, too."

"You're full of it."

"Maybe," Gail said. She was suddenly struck by the fact that she had told that story at all. She was also a little embarrassed. "Sorry, I'm not usually a sharer. Didn't mean to keep you."

"You can keep me," Holly replied. "So the Political Pecks?"

"The modern Kennedys," Gail said with a roll of her eyes. "Or so the press has deemed us on several occasions. I'm not so sure that's applicable."

"So, it's more than just your mother?"

"My brother, Steve, is the junior senator from Michigan," Gail said. "My grandfather was the youngest member of the Michigan Supreme Court and still resides on it today. My dad was the assistant chief of staff for the last Republican president. Now he mostly plays golf. Oh, yeah, and apparently he's impotent. My mother got drunk off her rocker last Christmas and told the whole family."

"TMI," Holly held up her hands in surrender. She smiled, though. "But you're not into politics?"

"Nope," Gail said. "Don't like 'em."

"Ah, and you're in Toronto why?"

Gail took a breath. There were so many reasons, but she settled on the least complicated, but still truthful one. "It pisses my mom off."

"Issues."

"I've got them."

"Okay," Holly didn't press her.

Gail really liked that about her. Holly was a no pressure, breezy kind of person. Not at all what she expected when they met over the panty moss. Gail liked this woman. She was easy to talk to. She was easy to be around.

"So…this might be crazy…and we just met. You don't really know me that well..." Gail was trying her best to preface what she was about to ask with _any_ kind of qualification to soften the blow of imminent rejection. "But, I've got to go to this wedding this weekend. And it's probably going to be painful."

Holly was concerned, "An ex of yours?"

"Oh, hell no," Gail shook her head. "A couple of friends of mine. And I use friends in the loosest sense. But, it'll only be painful because they're so annoyingly in love and happy."

"Gross," Holly said with wide eyes.

"I know," Gail agreed even if Holly was being facetious. "I plan to get drunk on free alcohol and make bitchy comments."

"Good plan."

"Do you want to go?" Gail asked shyly. "Did I mention free drinks?"

"And bitchy commentary," Holly said. "Yep, you mentioned both."

"I can promise you'll be entertained."

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yeah," Holly nodded. "Sounds fun."

"Really?"

"Yeah, Gail, I'll go."


	3. Chapter 3

Gail spotted Holly as she walked in the room. She stopped in her tracks, appreciating the other woman's beauty before she had to go make small talk.

Okay, that's weird.

Holly was exactly where she'd said she'd be. She was parked in front of the bar, already with a glass in her hand. And, much to Gail's displeasure, already being chatted up by Andy McNally.

Gail slid between them expertly, bumping McNally backward. "Hey!"

"Hi," Holly replied, genuinely happy to see her. "You will never believe this."

"What?"

"I know the bride!" Holly announced like it was just the best thing ever.

Gail was certain that kind of excitement over this particular bride had been felt by no one. Ever. "You know Chloe?"

"Yep," Holly said. "We went to science camp together in junior high. What are the odds?"

"That's…wow…the nerdiest thing I've heard all day. Congrats."

"Thank you," Holly lifted her glass. "I do have a knack for being nerdy."

"That you do."

Andy took the opportunity to tap on Gail's shoulder, "Peck."

Gail never even looked back at her, "McNally."

"Uh, we were having a conversation," Andy said.

Gail feigned a pout. "I'm sorry you had to go through that," she said to Holly. "Good thing I'm here to save you."

"Bye," Holly told McNally as she was pulled away.

She quickly led Holly through the throng of people that were milling about. "Uh, people. Laughing, caring people," she mumbled as she led Holly to their seats.

"We're friends, right?" Holly asked once they had settled.

Gail shrugged, "Depends on why you ask."

"Mainly so I can comment on your apparent emotional stuntedness."

"Oh, yeah," Gail nodded. "We're absolutely friends. Comment away. Although, I've probably heard it all before."

"So…" Holly studied the wedding décor. "This is nice…and pink..."

Gail took a quick glance, "Looks like Barbie's Dream Wedding mixed with a meeting of Dorks Anonymous, but nice."

Holly laughed at Gail's appraisal. "Not quite that bad."

"I should've gotten a drink," Gail made her regrets known. "It would have helped with the glint of the glitter."

"Dull the senses?"

"Yeah," Gail said.

After a minute, Holly asked, "How do you know Chloe and…Doug?"

"Dov," Gail corrected. "Dov Epstein. Officer Dov Epstein."

"Ah."

"Yes," Gail said. "We met at the academy and got assigned to 15 together."

"You're close?"

"We're buds," Gail looked like she might be a bit unconvinced even by her own words. But the nodded sharply, "Yeah, sure."

Holly was going to ask if any relationship in her life was straightforward, but Chris Diaz stopped her by leaning between them. "Did I miss anything?"

Gail shook her head, knowing who it was without looking. "Nothing yet. I wish they'd get this lovefest underway, though. Chloe's perky ass decorations are battling with the perfected blackness of my soul and I don't like it."

"It's nice, Peck," Diaz said. "Loosen up for the night."

"Shutup."

He then turned to see Holly. "Oh, hi," he said surprised.

"Hi," she waved.

He studied her for a moment before having an a-ha moment, "Plant woman in the woods?"

"That's me."

"Holly, Chris," Gail introduced them quickly. "Chris, Holly."

"You know Dov an-…" Chris stopped and his head turned to Gail. "Oh…"

"I needed a plus one." Gail put her arm up to push Chris backward. "Now go away."

"Nice to see you again," Holly said to him even as Gail was smushing his face.

Chris let himself be pushed, "You, too."

!

"There you are," Holly said as she kicked Gail's feet.

Gail had tried her very best to hide in the coat closet behind all the coats. Too bad her feet were feet were very visible.

"Hi," Gail gave her a small smile. She raised her glass, "You came prepared."

Holly took a drink of the bottle of champagne she had smuggled out of the reception before refilling Gail's glass. "Too many raw emotions out there?"

"Everyone is so happy," Gail took a long drink. "Makes me want to puke."

"Ah, I know. Happiness is the worst," Holly kidded. "Scootch," she made a motion for Gail to make room before she slid down the wall and parked it beside her new friend. "You know you're not really hidden, right?"

"Hiding in plain sight," Gail said. "It's tactical."

"So…" Holly looked her over. "You invited me to a wedding and then disappeared into a closet."

"I'm not exactly the most social of the butterflies."

"Me either," Holly said. "But, I try not to log more time with the coats. You know, as a general rule."

"I needed a break."

"Sure, okay."

"I'm sorry," Gail said as she sipped. "That was pretty rude. I forgot you don't know a lot of people here."

"I caught up with Chloe. Met Dov," Holly told her. "Got to know Chris a bit better, spoke with Andy."

"Ah, Andy McNally," Gail sputtered. "Miss Perfect, could charm the pants off a fruitfly, McNally."

"You really have a problem with her."

"I don't have a problem with her," Gail said. "I just don't like her very much."

"I'm sorry that I made the implication that you two were together," Holly said as sincerely as possible. "I thought…it made sense."

"Me and McNally?" Gail had the appropriate amount of disbelief on her face. "No, that does not make sense."

"I'm sorry, okay," Holly apologized. "I thought…"

"What?"

"That you were with her," Holly finished. "You were kind of weird both times I saw you together. And then you were in her apartment. You seemed like you could be…"

"With _her_?"

"…I was wrong," Holly said. She turned the bottle in her hands. "No offense."

"Oh…_with_ her." Gail laughed then. It was probably the drinks she had been downing all night because she couldn't stop. She laughed so hard her shoulders caved and she let her head drop. "Holly, c'mon."

"What?"

"Yeah," Gail nodded. "I'm gay. That's what you're actually getting at, right?"

"I didn't want to assume," Holly said as she took a drink.

"Well, then you're the first."

"Is that why you're here?" Holly asked. "Did the Political Pecks not approve of your alternative lifestyle?"

"At first, no," Gail shook her head. "But now they'd probably pay me to come back home and have a giant gay wedding and adopt a million rainbow babies."

"Really?"

"Yeah," Gail said. "Get the younger vote. They need it."

"Ah, I get it," Holly replied. "Not going to give in to that."

"Hell, no," Gail said. "They're on their own."

"Good for you."

"Sure." Gail looked over at her companion. Her eyes swept over her body quickly before she raised her glass to cool off. "And you?"

"Me?"

"What's Holly Stewart interested in?"

Holly smiled slowly, "I'm interested in a lot of things. And people. And places."

"And plants," Gail added. "Especially that last one."

Holly leaned in and whispered, "I have a confession to make."

Gail licked the champagne off her lips. Having Holly this close was definitely playing games with her pulse. She eliminated some of the gap that Holly had made. "And what's that?"

Holly smiled mischievously, "All my houseplants die."

Gail didn't expect that, so she pulled back to get a better look. "Are you serious?"

"I'm terrible."

"But…" Gail laughed. "It's what you do."

"I'm a plant murderer," Holly said, still whispering. "Don't get me wrong, I can manage one in its natural habitat in my sleep. But, if it's potted and in my apartment…" She made a slashing motion across her throat. "Dead."

"Wow, Holly."

"I know," she looked ashamed. "I think I try too hard. There's an expectation and it spooks me every time."

"Oh my god," Gail laughed. "You're living a lie."

"Not a lie so much perpetuating a misconception."

"Now I don't feel bad for trampling your moss," Gail smirked.

"That's totally different," Holly squealed.

"How?"

"Just is."

"No, it's not."

"I'm kind of glad you trampled my moss," Holly said quietly. "I mean, now. Then, I was pretty pissed. But, now…I'm glad we met."

"Me, too," Gail said earnestly. "Me, too."

"I wish you could have seen it," Holly said wistfully.

"What's that?" Gail asked.

"You falling," Holly said. She tried to mimic the action the best she could while still sitting down. "It was so. Effing. Funny."

"Thanks," Gail slapped her arm.

"I'm glad you were okay," Holly said between laughs. "And I know you were doing what you were trained to do and all…"

"Exactly!" Gail punctuated with a drink. "He's a bad guy."

"A panty snatcher," Holly chuckled.

"It's not funny. How would you feel is some douche stole all your underwear?"

"I'd be pissed," Holly said. "I've invested a small fortune in pretty undergarments."

Gail suddenly had a very vivid image of Holly modeling some of those undergarments. "I bet," she said. "You probably do them justice."

Holly choked out a laugh. She took a long drink of her champagne and sighed deeply. "Uh…thanks."

"Did that make you nervous?" Gail's words were probably supposed to be apologetic, but her tone was anything but.

"No," Holly denied it.

"Sorry," Gail drained the rest of her glass and tapped Holly's bottle. "More, please."

"It's fine, Gail." Holly poured until Gail's glass was full again. "I'd like to think that I do my underwear justice as well."

"Ha!" Gail spit some of her drink out. "Own it."

!

"I'm going to catch a cab," Holly told her eventually.

The two of them had done a little dancing and _alot_ of drinking.

"Noooo." Gail didn't want the night to be over yet. "Don't go!"

"I have to," Holly said. "I have plans tomorrow, so…"

"Plans?" Gail was curious, but then realized even in her drunken state that she shouldn't be asking. "Plans are great! Plans are good. I hope you have a great plan…s." The ending sounded like a snake, so for some stupid reason, she repeated it. "Sss."

"You're insane, you know that, right?" Holly laughed. "And…you're pretty drunk. How are you getting home?"

"McNally." Gail pointed in some random direction because it was nowhere near where McNally was huddled in the corner with some girl.

"Are you sure?" Holly looked over at the couple. "She looks busy."

"I'll take her," Chris stepped in. "Don't worry. Always got Peck's back."

Holly looked him over. "Oh-kay."

"Sober as a judge," he said to ease the fear he somehow knew she had. "I have to work in the morning."

"Diaz!" Gail slapped his back. "He's just the best, huh?"

"Sure," Holly smiled. "Okay, so I'm going to go."

"I'll walk you down."

"Gail," Holly tried to stop her. "You can barely walk anywhere."

"I'm fine," she said. "Let me walk with you."

The two started out walking, but mostly it was Holly supporting Gail's wobbling all the way out the front doors of the venue.

Holly called a cab with Gail still hanging on to her. "Are you going to be able to get back in there?"

Gail held up her cell, "I've texted Chris to meet me here."

"Good thinking," Holly said. She checked Gail's phone just to make sure. It was the truth. '_Crtphre Deeehz, come out front plez. 2 drunk to functshonn'_ was the last message sent.

"What you said earlier," Gail tried to remember it verbatim. It was harder than normal because of all the alcohol she had consumed. "You said that you were spooked by expectation."

Holly nodded, "In relation to plants, yes."

"I'm spooked by expectation in life," Gail said. It was slurred, but that's definitely what she said.

"Gail." Holly tried to get a good look at her. The action caused Gail to nearly tip right off her heels, but she caught herself and turned to face Holly. "The only one that's important is the expectation you have for yourself. And maybe, I don't know you very well…yet. But, I think you're kinda great."

Gail smiled at her. "Are you infused with some kind of ultra sweetener or something?"

"Not that I know of."

"Hm," Gail reached out for Holly's hand. "Thanks, Hol."

Holly passed her off to Chris, who picked her up under he arms and drug her away.

"Bye," Holly waved as she opened the door to the cab.

"I won't tell anyone that you kill your plants!" Gail shouted across the space.


	4. Chapter 4

Oliver Shaw had let the question burn a hole through his tongue for nearly four whole days. He had waited patiently for Gail to say something, anything. He just knew she would eventually. It wasn't like he never showed interest in her life. They talked sometimes. They were trapped in squad car together for eight to ten hours a day. What else is there to do, but talk? Gail, however was not cooperating this time. Even after he had offered so many opportunities for her to tell him. It was very frustrating, so finally around mid-morning he decided he had to know.

He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel to the quiet beat of whatever rock station they had the radio on. Gail changed it so often, he rarely knew what they were dialed into. It was a slow morning as they passively drove the streets of a the recent target area for their notorious panty burglar.

Oliver looked over at his partner. She was drinking a cup of coffee that she had scored from Diaz right before they left the station. And when Gail had said scored, she meant that she had taken it right out of his hand and quickly left with it.

Gail looked happy enough today. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. He was really torn between bringing it up casually and maybe beating around the bush a bit, or just flat out asking. Gail was so hard to read. Sometimes she had to be snuck up on and sometimes she needed to be slapped over the head with a heavy newspaper. Peck was a tricky one.

He decided on going somewhere between the two options and just blurted, "Holly," into the otherwise silent car.

Gail went ahead and finished taking the drink of coffee she was enjoying before replying, "I was wondering how long you would hold out."

"I'm curious."

"You're nosy, Oliver," Gail said pointedly. "Let's not confuse those two things."

"She's…

Gail took another sip and set her cup down in a cup holder. "Hot?"

"No." Oliver said with a lilt in his voice.

"Yeah, she is."

"Well, yeah-"

Gail zeroed in, "So, you think she's hot?"

"She's attracti-"

"Attractive?" Gail looked at Oliver sharply. "Just attractive? No, no. She's hot."

"Okay, but that's not what I was going to say."

"But, you're admitting she's hot?"

"Yeah, okay," Oliver raised his voice slightly. "She's hot, _really_ hot. Smokin' hot."

"Geez! Settle down, Oliver," Gail scoffed. "I think she's pretty, too, but _wow_!"

Oliver sighed loudly, clearly exasperated while Gail chuckled at his annoyance with her.

"I apologize for being nosy," Officer Shaw said, aptly punished.

"Forgiven," Gail granted easily. She waited a few minutes before she looked back at him. "Alright, what about her?"

"Oh no," Oliver said. "You don't want to talk about it, obviously."

"C'mon, ask whatever you wanted to ask." Gail peered at the apartment buildings that were passing by. She tried not to let on that she kinda wanted to talk about Holly despite the hoops she was making Oliver jump through.

"No, thank you."

"Now or never," Gail said knowing that he'd break.

He did. "We talked a bit during the reception. I think you may have briefly passed out with your head on a chair."

"I don't recall that," Gail shrugged. "But it's possible. I had a few."

"She's nice," he went on.

"She _is _nice." Gail tapped her pointer on the plastic lid of her coffee. "I would classify her as very nice."

"Nicer than she was in the woods."

"She was having a particularly bad moss day then," Gail told him. "I was not helping."

"So…" Oliver flicked the blinker on the cruiser. He finally got to the point, "What's happening there?"

"Where?"

"With you and Holly, Peck?"

"Nothing," she said as cool as can be.

"Really?" Oliver was surprised. "I thought for sure you two were on a date."

"What made you think that?"

Oliver studied her and tried testing the waters. "You…were there…together. You seemed to like each other."

"Hm." Gail went back studying their surroundings. "No date. We were just friends at a wedding doing friendly things. Being friendly."

"She was overly concerned."

"I was overly intoxicated."

"It wasn't just that you were there _together._"

"We weren't there _together," _Gail reminded him. "We just attended together. Let it go, Oliver."

Oliver stole another glance, "You were _looking_ at each other."

"Oh, shit, really?" Gail said, sarcasm apparent. "Call the cops, I was _looking_ at a girl."

"Longingly."

"Have you become a woman recently? Who says _longingly_?"

"That's incredibly sexist, Peck."

"You're incredibly lame, Shaw."

"You sound like my kids."

"Well, quit sounding like my dad," Gail said. She had just noticed a man dressed in all black with a hood covering his head walking slowly down the sidewalk with a plastic bag in his hand. She tapped on the window of the cruiser, drawing Oliver's attention. "Yo, Pops, does he look familiar?"

Oliver's eyes sparked with recognition as he changed lanes to get closer. He pulled up beside the walking man and slowed down to a near stop. The perp glanced over once and away he went.

"Again?!" Gail groaned before jumping out of the car. "Stop!" she tried futilely. "It was worth a shot," she said to herself as she followed after him in another foot chase. She grabbed her radio, "We've got a runner. Heading south on Duncan."

The panty snatcher was having absolutely none of that stopping stuff. Instead he bobbed and weaved his way down the alley and around the corner and down another alley.

Gail, for her part, kept on pace. She was even starting to gain a bit of ground when she politely told him through strained breathing, "I'm really enjoying our little runs together!"

Apparently, she was much too close for comfort, so the guy reached into his bag full of undies and tossed them at her. Of course, they fell on the ground before they could hit her, but she laughed at the attempt. "I'm only encouraged by having women's panties thrown at me, buddy!"

In a last ditch effort to lose her, the guy ran straight into mid-morning traffic. He somehow alluded three cars, and skidded across the hood of another before reaching the other side of the intersection. Gail, because she didn't have a death wish, stopped short. "Mother fucker!" she screamed as she watched him disappear. "Dammit, that's the second fucking time. Shit!"

A group of nearby nuns waiting to cross were completely aghast at Gails' outburst.

"Sorry, sisters," she apologized when she saw them. She gestured to where she last saw her man, "But that guy is really starting to piss me off."

"Bless you, child!" the ringleader scolded her.

"Bless me?" Gail pointed to herself. "Really? Me? Did you see that guy? He stole a bunch of innocent women's underwear and you're blessing _me_?"

Oliver came to a screeching stop in the squad car at that moment. His head popped out for just enough time to say, "McNally's trying to find him. She's a couple blocks over," he said to her. "C'mon."

Gail wasn't quite done, though. "What happened to 'thou shalt not steal?' Huh? How about 'don't be coveting your neighbor's lacy knickers?' How 'bout that?"

"Peck!" Oliver shouted, "Stop arguing with the nuns and c'mon!"

"They started it!"

"Get in the car."

"Lock up your panties," she advised them as she parted. "Or don't, see if I care."

She could have sworn one of them flipped her the bird as she settled into the police cruiser. "What the hell?" she squealed. She quickly rolled down the window as Oliver peeled away, "That's a crime, hoodlum. I'll be back for you!"

!

Gail wasn't quite sure what led her to the hockey rink at six o'clock that night. No, she didn't have any plans. No, she really didn't have anything better to do. No, she didn't make any huge arrest that she was celebrating. However, she was curious to see how her investment was working out. She convinced herself that now she had some type of interest in Holly's peewee hockey team. It was a sound business decision to swing by the rink. That's all.

When she arrived, she all but tiptoed in. She deliberately chose a seat that was out of the way. She could watch peacefully from there. Watch the kiddos, not their coach or anything. It was all about the kids. The children are our future.

She went through most of the practice completely undetected until one of those futuristic kids pointed at her and screamed, "That's the cop!"

She immediately regretted telling that little loud mouth runt what she did for a living.

Gail couldn't quite tell by Holly's initial reaction if she was happy to see her. A look of surprise passed over her features as she adjusted her glasses and squinted her eyes. Then, Holly's face settled into a passive stare. Truthfully, Gail almost just stood up and high-tailed it out of there.

"Are you going to join us?" Holly finally called to her.

"Nah," Gail answered.

She expected to be persuaded, but Holly didn't do that. Holly just returned to practice with the kids. Gail wasn't quite sure what to make of it. She was even less sure when practice was over and Holly turned to her with her finger in the air, indicating she'd be a minute.

Even with the uncertainty, Gail stayed. She watched Holly disappear with the little girls into the tunnel and she waited.

It was nearly half an hour later when Holly suddenly plopped down into the seat beside her.

"Hi, Officer," she said with a smirk.

"Your goalie kinda sucks," Gail said in response.

"My goalie is seven years old," Holly countered. "Getting her to stay at the net is all we're focusing on this year. Next year, we'll try to stop a goal."

"So, you signed a multi-year contract, Coach?"

Holly nodded, "It's possible. I enjoy it. I enjoy the kids. I started coaching a few years ago when the program was nearly cancelled. My sister and I both played in the same league when we were kids. I couldn't bear to see them discontinue because no adults wanted to participate."

"You have a sister?" Gail asked, centering on that detail.

"Yeah, older sister," Holly answered. "Laura."

"Is she into plants, too?"

"No," Holly smiled. "She's into numbers. She's an accountant."

"Poor Laura."

"Yeah," Holly agreed. "She's okay, though. She actually helped me the first couple years because her daughter was on the team. She moved on to the next age bracket this year, so Laura went on with her."

"A sister _and_ a niece?"

Holly grinned brightly, "Emma. Hell of a left winger."

"She's good?"

"Takes after her aunt."

"I'm learning all kinds of things about you tonight," Gail mused.

"You're welcome to learn more if you want to go grab some food with me," Holly said as she stood. "I'm hungry, have you eaten?"

"I could eat," Gail said. For some reason she was really glad that she hadn't had dinner yet.

!

"They started it!" Gail defended herself.

"So…" Holly caught her breath from laughing. "You not only lost the guy…_again_. You also got into a fight with nuns on the street?"

"It wasn't a fight," Gail explained after she swallowed some noodles. "It was a disagreement in a public area with some holy women."

Holly balanced some chicken on her chop sticks, "You really are insane."

"So you've mentioned," Gail shrugged. She motioned around the little Chinese restaurant that Holly loved, "This is interesting."

"Best egg rolls in town," Holly told her for the third time.

"You keep saying that," Gail said. "But I still contest that theory. There's a place right around the corner from the station…"

"Not better than these."

"I beg to differ."

"You'll have to prove it," Holly told her.

"Taste test?" Gail asked. "I could arrange that."

"Maybe some time next week, we can go eat there," Holly suggested. "If that's okay with you."

"Sure," Gail sputtered too quickly. "Absolutely."

"Good," Holly said. "I like hanging out with you. It's fun. More fun than I thought it would be."

"Well," Gail frowned. "Now, I'm a little offended. I don't seem like I'd be fun?"

"You seem like the kind of girl that gets into public disagreements with holy women."

"Uh huh," Gail agreed completely. "Exactly. Fun."


	5. Chapter 5

"Peck?"

The sound of her name made her head shoot up. She wasn't quite expecting it, not yet anyway.

"Ah, shit."

Dov Epstein grinned at her as he leaned on a chair across the table. "Hey. What are you doing here all by yourself? You don't eat by yourself."

"What?" Gail kicked at the chair under the table. "I can do that."

"No," Dov shook his head. "I've known you…well, long enough to know you don't eat by yourself. Snacking by yourself, sure. Eating in public, no."

"Shut up, Dov," Gail said as she perused the menu of her favorite Chinese restaurant again. "You don't know me."

He knocked on the table, "Do you mind?"

"Yep," Gail said as rudely as she could muster. "Mind a lot, actually."

He slipped around the table and took the seat next to her anyway. "I was going to grab some takeout for me and Chloe, but…"

"Then do it," Gail said without looking up. "Not stopping you. Take out and be merry."

"We can eat here instead."

"Dammit, Dov." Gail dropped her menu. "Listen, I'm not eating alone. I'm meeting a friend-"

"You don't have any friends," Dov interjected.

"I do, too."

"You don't," Dov was matter-of-fact. "Well, except me and I wasn't meeting you. And possibly Oliver, but he's working a stakeout..."

"Neither of you are my friends."

"C'mon, Gail," Dov chuckled. "You can admit that you like me."

"Whatever." She rolled her eyes, "It's a new friend, okay."

"Who?"

"None of your business."

"Then…" he stuck his bottom lip out, "no one?"

"Dov, seriously," Gail gave him a hard stare. "Go away."

"Nah, it's fine," Dov said. "Chloe will come down."

"It's a real person," Gail said. "You wouldn't know…you've been honeymooning…or some shit. Whatever you heterosexuals do."

"Like a friend friend or a friendly friend _friend-friend_ kinda friend."

"She's a friend," Gail replied with her lip curled up. After a few seconds she amended her statement, "Maybe friend-friend potential."

"What?" Dov leaned in. "Really? That's…that's great, Gail."

"Yeah," Gail tried to fight off the grin.

"Who?"

"You met her."

"I did? When…oh!" Dov remembered. "At my wedding? Her? Niiiice."

"Yeah, her," Gail lifted her menu again. "Now go away."

"Not a freakin' chance now," he laughed. "I'm calling Chloe. Double date!"

"What?" Gail screeched. "No, no, no. Don't call Chloe! And it's not a double date. It's not a date at all. No dating! And absolutely no doubling."

"Are we talking about the Blue Jays offense?" Chris suddenly appeared.

"Nuh uh." Gail pointed at the newest arrival and repeated it. "Nuh uh."

"I'm hungry!" Chris protested. "Besides, if Chloe's coming," he gestured at Dov. "I can stay."

"Ugh," Gail groaned and then was drawn back to her other co-worker. "Dov, Dov, Dov," Gail punched his arm. He was already on the phone with his new wife making kissy noises and telling her to "hurry down."

"She's on her way," he said when he set his phone on the table.

"Awesome." Chris stole Gail's menu and started tapping everything he wanted. "That," he tapped. "That."

"Listen, I appreciate your company, but-"

"Gail has a date," Dov said like a giddy schoolgirl.

"Don't. No." Gail protested. "Epstein-"

"Who with?" Chris' eyes were wide. "Plant lady? It's plant lady, right? Knew it!"

"Plant lady?" Dov asked. He looked at Gail. "Plants?"

"Landscaping," Chris replied.

"Botany," Gail corrected. "She's a botanist."

"Isn't that the same thing?" Chris' shoulders lifted around his ears. "It's all photosynthesis and stuff, right?"

"No, Chris," Gail scoffed. "It's not all the same thing. She's a botanist, okay. And…" Gail searched her brain for an argument, "…and it's not…the same thing."

"What's not the same?" Andy McNally asked as she strolled up, in uniform, and holding a milkshake.

"Well, fuck."

!

Gail couldn't help but notice the slight look of disappointment on Holly's face when she entered the restaurant and found Gail surrounded by her buddies from the force. Chris had eventually moved another table next to Gail's, much to her dismay.

"Hey!" Gail popped out of her seat. "Hi. Hey. Holly, hi." She waved awkwardly then dropped her hand like a rock. "Hey!"

"Hi," Holly waved back. She took a quick glance around. Both the seats beside Gail had been taken by Dov and McNally, so that was out. Chloe was smiling bright as the sun at her and Chris was patting the seat next to him.

"We saved you one," he said with a grin. "Right here."

"Thanks," she said with forced enthusiasm.

Gail tried to convey 'sorry' but she was sure it probably came out as 'constipated.'

Holly settled in the chair, which just happened to be across from McNally, who was staring at her with a lecherous smirk. Gail noticed and thumped her on her way back into her seat.

"Ow," McNally rubbed the spot on her head.

"I'm glad you came," Gail said to Holly. She shot her a wide, appreciative smile.

"I, uh, didn't know it was a group thing," Holly said as he caught all the smiles around the table.

"I didn't either," Gail tried to explain.

"Holly, the botanist," Andy said with a point a click of her tongue. "Might I say, you're looking feee-rn."

Gail's hands dropped to the table, rattling everyone's silverware. "Oh my god. Really?"

"What?"

"You're looking fern?" Gail didn't hide her contempt.

"Jealous you didn't think of it?" McNally asked.

"More like deeply embarrassed for you."

"Embarrassed?"

"Extremely."

"I was complimenting the pretty lady," Andy said.

"Thanks, Officer McNally," Holly said to stop the back and forth. "That was clever. As clever as when people ask if I mind planting tulips."

Not surprisingly the only person who laughed was Chris. "Good one!" he patted Holly hard the back, "tulips…ha. You're funny."

"Thanks Chris," Holly said through a wince.

"Stop beating her, Diaz," Gail commanded.

"So what brings you by?" Andy asked Holly as she took a break from chewing on her milkshake straw.

"Well," Holly nodded toward Gail. "Uh, Gail and I were discussing egg rolls last week and…"

"Yes, yes." Chris tapped the egg roll on the menu. "Definitely."

"…She said this place had the best."

"You don't havta do that, Holly," Dov said loudly. "Gail told us you were dating."

Gail kicked Dov's chair as hard as she could.

"What?" he squealed. "What did I do?"

"Shut up!"

"I thought we were dating?" Andy gestured between her and Holly.

"You're not," Gail swung around to tell Andy.

"Well, not yet," Andy winked at Holly, "but eventually."

"Nobody's dating!" Gail said. She looked at Holly, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean nobody…I mean, not that we…fuck..."

Holly's mouth was gaping at all the info that was flying at her.

Chloe was still clapping with the good news, "Oh, oh, oh! The four of us should do a couples game night. Dov, game night!"

"Trivia!" Dov said, humoring his wife.

!

They'd been in Gail's car for a good ten minutes before she finally came up with something to say. "Well, that was mortifying."

Holly laughed. It was genuine laugh that snaked all the way through her body. She adjusted her glasses and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Yeah…maybe a little mortifying."

"I'm so so so sorry," Gail said for the twelfth time. "I had no idea that they'd all show up like that."

"It's okay."

"It's not." Gail replied forcefully. "I basically had to threaten them so they didn't tag along to the movie."

"It's fine," Holly assured her. "I like them."

"No, you don't," Gail snorted. "I don't even like them."

"I do." Holly gave a tug on her seatbelt. "Even McNally."

"McNally is hopeless."

"That's mean," Holly said. "I'm sure she's not hopeless."

"She is," Gail said seriously. "Ever since Swarek."

"Swarek?"

"Sam," Gail answered. "Samantha. Detective Swarek, actually. Andy fell in love with her first day on the job. They got together for a short time, then Sam went undercover. I don't even know what happened…the operation was compromised, I guess. Whatever happened, it was bad. Swarek took off to Newfoundland. McNally was devastated. Still is. Too bad, too. Swarek was a straight up handsome woman. They made quite the couple."

When Gail quickly glanced over, Holly was staring at her.

"What?" she asked.

"That was lots of information about Andy McNally."

"Yeah…so…"

"When are you going to tell me about Gail Peck?"

Gail bit her lip. "What do you want to know?"

"Anything," Holly shrugged. "I told you about me on our last…_non-date."_

"Mortifying," Gail groaned again. "I swear I didn't tell Dov we were dating."

"That wouldn't be so bad," Holly said. It nearly sounded hopeful.

"Not bad at all," Gail said as she slowed the car at a light.

"Dinner and a movie," Holly reminded her. "Kinda date-ish."

"Dinner with a bunch of losers and an animated movie."

"Hey," Holly slapped at Gail's knee. "I picked the movie."

"Uh huh," she smiled.

Holly smiled, too. She waited a second before broaching the subject again. "So…you?"

"Uh…I told you about my family…that's really the most interesting thing about me."

"I doubt that."

"Other people definitely think so."

"I'm not other people," Holly said. She took a deep breath and shifted around in her seat. She debated a second before blurting out, "Gail, I think I should tell you for the sake of being honest-"

"You know," Gail said without any life in her voice. "Of course, you know."

"Yeah," Holly shrugged. "After you told me about the Political Pecks, I realized where I had heard your name."

"Ah." Gail fiddled with the temperature controls in the car. "My reputation proceeds me."

"I shouldn't have said anything."

"No," Gail said quickly. "It's alright. I mean, I don't like talking about it, but…if we're going to hang out…if we're friends…I just…" Gail stopped rambling and cleared her throat. "It sucked. It was a long time ago."

"You survived," Holly said quietly. "Whatever else happened, you survived. And moved on. And are helping other people."

Gail swallowed thickly. She was so used to keeping people away that letting someone in was terrifying. There was something about this woman, though. She hadn't even known her very long. But here was Gail Peck, wanting, no _longing_ to tell Holly her life story.

"I made a promise to myself at some point that if I got out, I would do everything I could to keep that from happening to someone else."

"Makes sense," Holly nodded.

"I know there were a lot of rumors about what might have happened and that my parents were really secretive or whatever," Gail continued to explain, "but honestly it could have been much worse than it was. It was just an overwhelming feeling of helplessness. And…I got roughed up a bit. Drugged, so I was out of it at some points…"

"You really don't have to tell me the details," Holly said again. "Or anything at all."

"It's okay," Gail said more confidently. "Like, I said, it was a long time ago."

"Why you?"

"I was unlucky," Gail laughed bitterly. "It was political mostly. Some crazy guy who didn't appreciate my mother's politics and thought the best way to make her change her mind was by taking me."

"…I'm sorry…" Holly was at a loss for much more.

"Nah," Gail said. "He should've taken my brother. That might have actually done him some good."

"Gail-"

"I'm kidding," she said. "But the two of them…they're a lot alike. Steven is not quite as…ruthless…but they're both…determined. The whole thing made them more determined. Not so much for me, but to make my ordeal a platform. Mental health reform, tougher penalties for criminal stalking…hate crime studies. My mother had got a great deal of support because of her 'Keep Your Family Closer' speeches across the Midwest about how the situation affected _her_."

"So you got lost in the shuffle?"

"I got introduced to a shitload of therapists.," Gail shrugged. "Thankfully, he pled guilty and I didn't have to deal with a trial. But, by that time, I was...screwed up, I guess. I had dropped out of school and wasn't leaving the house because it was all over the place. It sucked, so I told my family I needed a break from the media attention and left the country. I came here and met some more therapists. But, after a while, I got comfortable again. Then, I thought the best way to make a difference was to become a cop and fight back the right way."

"Wow," Holly said as she watched Gail conclude her story.

"Fucked up, right?"

"You're not fucked up at all," Holly said. "You're fucking amazing."

Gail let it hang in the air for a long time. Long enough to reach the movie theater. She pulled in, parked, and turned the car off.

"You think this _could_ be a date?" Gail asked.

"Absolutely."


End file.
